My Speech and My Preaching

The Dynamics of Unity

4/19/2015Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 1-4

Unity of brethren within a local church is a sphere, a system, driven by very specific dynamics. The most important dynamic is what Inspiration calls "the preaching." But, human beings are also two other, often unpredictable and immature, dynamics.

The Eternal Rock: Gospel Meeting 2014 #5

10/28/2014Garland Robinson 1 Corinthians 10

#5 of 6, Main Street Gospel Meeting 2014: Unshakeable Things. Continuing this genre, the sermon launches from the passage that characterizes Jesus as the "rock" that "followed" the Israelites in their trek to the Promised Land. The Lord is an unshakeable rock in more ways than can be counted.

Table Manners

2/19/2017Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 10-16

Israel, Paul warned, failed because of idolatry. He warns Christians, "Flee idolatry." In that connection he uses "table" as a metaphor for Christian fellowship. Using Paul's metaphor, it is useful in understanding his teaching on "table manners"; how the "body," the church, is to gather at the table. It relates to how we treat one another.

Church "Doings": The Supper

4/6/2014Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 11

It was "not possible" for the Christians at Corinth "to eat the Lord's Supper," when they came together in the assembly. Ironically, though, that's precisely the reason for churches to assemble together on the first day of every week. The Lord's Supper is to be eaten in the assembly, on the first day of every week, and only on the first day of every week.

The Sin of Disparagement

2/21/2016Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 11-12

Using the analogy of the human body and its component "members" (nose, eye, hand, et al), the apostle Paul addressed a destructive failure of some in their failing "to discern the body." Discerning the body of Christ means to separate, distinguish and honor each member. Disparaging a particular member, whether said disparagement comes from another or from oneself is sinful.

What To Do in Church

9/22/2013Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 11-16

The text of this sermon contains in a montage a picture of the church of Christ in the first century gathered together to worship. Inspiration speaks of what they were "to do" in their assemblies, and how they were "to do" them. What they did were acts of reverence paid to God: worship.

Because of the Angels

1/18/2015Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

Paul alludes to five non-permanent applications of a permanent principle (1 Corinthians 11:1-16). Headship, authority, is a permanent principle: the head of every man is Christ, the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. That principle is manifested in a variety of ways, some of which vary with time and particular culture. Paul says that among the reasons this principle ought to be respected, particularly in assemblies of Christians, is â€œbecause of the angels.â€

No, It's Not

2/25/2018Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 11:20

Whereas the church at Corinth came together, "in assembly," among other things, to eat the Lord's Supper, Paul said, "It is not to eat the Lord's Supper." In essence, they said, This is why we are here; and, Paul said, No, it's not. Many lessons lie within.

Inter-Member Etiquette

9/20/2015Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 12

The church is "one body"; but it is made up of "many members." The theme of this year's Teenage Bible Study is "Building Relationships," and this sermon is a subset of that series. It focuses on Scripture's specific teaching regarding how members treat one another.

Personalizing the Most Excellent Way

2/17/2013Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 12:27 - 13:13

Out of the backdrop of a discussion about the peculiar First Century "spiritual gifts," and their relation to the singular "body of Christ," "severally" made up of "members" (1 Corinthians 12:27ff), the text segues into a discussion about something far superior to the spiritual gifts: "a most excellent way." It is the way of agape, love. Inspiration proceeds in 12:4-7 to itemize fifteen attributes of agape. Substituting the personal pronoun, "I," for each mention of "love," the sermon seeks to personalize the "most excellent way."

When I Became a Man

5/5/2013Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 13:11

Paul uses what should be the natural process of child development to show that the dependence of the first century church on "spiritual gifts" was analogous to speaking, feeling and thinking like a child. He foretold the time when the church would become "a man and put away childish things." Without, though, understanding the analogue, one cannot understand the analogy. The sermon focuses on the need for adults to put away childish things, as well as the fact that spiritual gifts have long since been "put away."

Evangelism Verities

5/10/2015Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 13:13

The spiritual gifts were temporary, designed to bring Christianity to a full-grown state. They came to end; though, in the short term they served their purpose. Two of the purposes of the gifts, relative to evangelism, were 1) quickly creating audiences of listeners, and 2) quickly establishing the authority of the word spoken by the evangelists. Paul said the "most excellent" way was based on three abiding verities: faith, hope and love. These three verities, relative to evangelism, are our marketing tools.

Speaking into the Air

8/10/2014Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 14

A man speaking a language foreign to the assembly he's addressing, Paul said, might as well be speaking into the air. Great insight can be gained from this chapter relative to the place of preaching in the assemblies of the church. More particularly, the chapter helps us to understand the "worship" aspect of preaching.

Speaking in the Church

8/30/2015Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 14

Because of references to "tongues," "interpretation," "prophecy," and "discerning," First Corinthians 14 is given cursory examination. It is in fact a part of a longer section that deal with the "assembly," Christians coming together "in the church." The most common word found in this chapter is the word, speak, or variations of it. Focus is on a Christian man taking the floor and addressing, or speaking to, the assembly; in other words: "the preaching" (1 Corinthians 1:21).

Grave Map

5/6/2018Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 15

Paul plainly says that the empty grave into which had been placed the corpse of Jesus of Nazareth will lead to the emptying of all graves. The apostle has left us a "map" from that one empty grave that shows the way to all empty graves.

Evident Exception

1/22/2017Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 15:27

One finds several universal characterizations in the Bible; "all things" being one of them. The reader must take care to identify the "universe of discourse" in such phrases. An example is Paul's affirming that "all things" had been subjected to Christ. He continues to say that a certain "exception" was "evident." The same is true when we read of "all things" being possible with God.

The Part-Whole Life

11/16/2014Alan Adams 1 Corinthians 15:39

In the midst of parrying objections to the doctrine of the general resurrection, the apostle Paul incidentally appeals to a reality, a fact, about the world we live in: the whole is equal to the sum of its parts. He mentions distinct categories of "flesh": man, beast, bird and fish. Taking "man flesh" as a whole, it's clear that everything is either not man-flesh, or it is man-flesh. This observable characteristic of the physical world has several great applications.